Ponta: Our objective is getting at least 37.5 pct of votes in first round

Prime Minister Victor Ponta, the Social Democratic Party (PSD) - the National Union for Romania's Progress (UNPR) - the Conservative Party (PC) candidate in presidential elections, said late on Sunday that the objective of his campaign for the first round is getting at least 37.5 pct of votes, that is the score recorded in the European Parliament elections.

In an interview for Antena 3 Ponta also said that in order for him to know what will happen in the runoff, he is very interested in the results of the USL candidates — him and Calin Popescu Tariceanu respectively versus the results of the group candidates formed of Monica Macovei, Elena Udrea and Klaus Johannis.

'Our objective is to get, in the first round, the score that we recorded also in the European Parliament elections — 37.5 pct. If it is higher, it will be good, if lower, it will not be good. But I am mostly interested in the votes to be taken by the USL candidates. And I believe that myself and Mr Calin Popescu Tariceanu represent the USL candidates, as I consider that Mrs Macovei, Mr Johannis and Mrs Udrea represent Basescu's candidates. So basically, you have to see how much the USL candidates will take in the first round, compared to the three candidates of Basescu's, and then probably we will know what will happen in the runoff,' said Victor Ponta. AGERPRES